In Hilo, a community is grappling with a shocking accident after a car, driven by an elderly man, crashed into a residential home on Kaumana Drive, injuring a seven-year-old boy inside. The incident occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 5. Hawai‘i Island police have identified the driver as 71-year-old Wayne Okutsu, who was arrested for first-degree negligent injury following the collision.
The circumstances leading up to the crash appear to be a tragic error — Okutsu, in an attempt to leave a friend's house, unintentionally drove his vehicle toward the residence, striking the child and breaching the home's living area. The boy was subsequently transported to Hilo Benioff Medical Center with substantial injuries but is currently listed in stable condition. No other individuals were reported to be harmed during the accident.
According to a statement issued by local authorities on Nixle, the vehicle involved in the incident has been recovered and is being held as evidence as part of the ongoing investigation into this shocking event. Okutsu, meanwhile, remains at the East Hawaii Detention Facility pending further investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
The police are reaching out to the public for additional information regarding this incident. Anyone with knowledge pertinent to the investigation is encouraged to contact the police department’s non-emergency line.
